SCABIES: Biology, Culture and Host Immune Response. The objective of the proposed research on scabvies is three fold. First, this is a detailed investigation of the basic requirements, tolerances and responses of the scabies mite, S. scabiei for/to: water (humidity), temperature, nutrients, oxygen, host odor, phagostimulants, light and gravity. These factors will be evaluated with respect to growth, reproduction, development, survival, host selection and orientation, infestivity and transmission of the parasite. Mite survival and response in choice and no choice experiments will be used to evaluate preferred, favorable and tolerable environmental parameters. In addition, water requirements will be determined by gravimetric and isotopic techniques. Host specificity between various mite strains will be evaluated by attempting to cross infested animal hosts with different strains. Concomitantly, the toxicity of therapeutic chemicals and the possibility of developed resistance will be determined. Secondly, we will attempt to develop an in vitro artificial culture method for S. scabiei. This will be accomplished by modification of general insect diets, particularly hematophagus types, a basic defined diet currently being used by Dr. Arlian for culture of a related skin scale feeding house dust mite and further refinement of a media that has been used by Dr. Estes to lengthen in vitro survival times of canine scabies. Thirdly, the host immune response will be investigated by monitoring immunoglobulin levels (total and specific IgG and IgE), serial immune complex studies, precipitating antibodies detected by agar gel diffusion, serial peripheral blood leucocyte and eosinophil counts, skin test reactivity to mite extracts, MIF determinations, and histopathology and immunofluorescence studies of skin biopsies in paid human volunteers. These tests will be performed on patients during and after infestation and on non-infected controls.